WI Legislature Passes GOP-Led Measures Protecting Campus Speech
MADISON, WI — The Wisconsin Legislature has officially approved two high-profile bills aimed at solidifying free speech protections across the University of Wisconsin (UW) System and technical college campuses. The measures, which passed the Assembly by a narrow 53-45 margin, now sit on Governor Tony Evers’ desk.
Reinforcing the First Amendment
The primary legislation, Senate Bill 498 (and its companion AB 501), seeks to dismantle the practice of "free speech zones." Under this bill, public institutions are prohibited from placing restrictive "time, place, or manner" barriers on lawful expression. Furthermore, it bars universities from charging exorbitant security fees that have historically been used to price out controversial speakers.
A key enforcement mechanism in the bill is the "Tuition Freeze" clause: if an institution is found to have violated free speech protections multiple times over a five-year span, it could be legally barred from raising tuition for two academic years.
A Response to Campus Hostility
The legislative push comes at a time of heightened anxiety regarding campus civility. A recent survey conducted by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) revealed a startling trend: one-third of college students now believe that violence can be an "acceptable" response to speech they find disagreeable.
“When more than one out of every three students at UW–Madison believes violence is an acceptable way to suppress speech, it’s clear we have a serious civility problem,” the organization stated, urging the codification of speech policies into state law.
The Shadow of the Kirk Assassination
The urgency of the Wisconsin legislation is underscored by the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was killed on a Utah college campus on September 10. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, allegedly committed the murder after being radicalized by extremist political ideologies.
Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Robinson, who faces seven charges, including aggravated murder and witness tampering. FBI Director Kash Patel recently emphasized that the bureau is investigating all leads to ensure a full prosecution of any parties involved in the conspiracy.
Targeting Hidden Fees
A secondary measure, Senate Bill 532, addresses student affordability by restricting the University of Wisconsin from charging additional fees for online or hybrid courses. Unless the institution can prove direct additional costs for these formats, these fees will be banned—a move sponsors say will reduce the growing financial burden on students.
Governor Evers has not yet indicated whether he will sign the bills into law. As the debate over student rights and campus safety intensifies, all eyes remain on the ongoing trial in Utah and the legislative response in Madison.
'Guilty Of Fraud' - Hammer Dropped On Former First Lady Jill Biden During Live Fox News Segment
McEnany Accuses Jill Biden Of Misleading Americans About Debate Performance
Posted July 15, 2026
Former White House press secretary and Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany accused former first lady Jill Biden of misleading the American public about President Joe Biden’s condition following his widely criticized debate performance during the 2024 campaign.
McEnany made the remarks Thursday during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” where she reacted to comments Jill Biden reportedly made in her upcoming book regarding the president’s performance during the debate that ultimately intensified questions about his age and fitness for office.
The discussion began when co-host Dana Perino referenced remarks Jill Biden made immediately following the debate.
At a campaign event after the debate, Jill Biden praised her husband’s performance.
“Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question,” she said at the time.
Perino contrasted those comments with more recent claims attributed to Jill Biden and raised questions about the apparent inconsistency.
“So now we know that this is what she’s saying in her book,” Perino said. “And the question I would love to ask her is where are you lying then or now?”
McEnany responded by arguing that Jill Biden’s reaction following the debate was inconsistent with her more recent descriptions of the event.
“It’s a great question,” McEnany said.
“That is not the reaction of someone who believes they just watched their husband have a stroke. It is an absolute lie.”
McEnany then accused the former first lady of concealing concerns about the president’s condition from voters.
“It was fraud,” she said.
“What she did fraud on the American public and she’s continuing it by saying she had never seen him like that before or after.”
The debate between Biden and President Donald Trump became a turning point in the 2024 election cycle, with many Democrats publicly expressing concern about Biden’s performance and his ability to continue his campaign.
Questions about Biden’s age and mental sharpness had circulated for years, but the debate intensified those concerns and fueled calls from some Democrats for him to step aside.
During the Fox News discussion, McEnany referenced comments previously made by veteran journalist Carl Bernstein regarding Biden’s condition behind the scenes.
“Dana, you all remember Carl Bernstein, who said he talked to people who knew Joe Biden, loved Joe Biden, supported Joe Biden, and they were adamant that what we saw was not a one-off,” McEnany said.
According to McEnany, Bernstein reported that individuals close to Biden had observed similar episodes before the debate.
“They said it had happened 15 or 20 times prior, him losing his train of thought,” she said.
McEnany also cited a fundraiser Bernstein reportedly described.
“He described a fundraiser where he froze up and seemed to have some type of rigor mortis,” she said.
“This is not something that was a one-off.”
McEnany argued that concerns about Biden’s condition were widely known among those close to him.
“This was well known,” she said.
She then questioned why Jill Biden continued publicly defending her husband following the debate.
“So why did she keep up with the fraud on the American people?” McEnany asked.
The former first lady has repeatedly defended her husband and rejected claims that she or members of his inner circle concealed concerns about his health, Breitbart News reported.
The debate over Biden’s condition became one of the defining political stories of the 2024 election cycle and continued after he ultimately left the race.
McEnany’s comments reflect ongoing scrutiny surrounding what Biden’s family, advisers and top Democratic officials knew about his condition and when they knew it.
Neither Jill Biden nor representatives for the former president immediately responded to McEnany’s latest remarks.
As new books and accounts from those involved continue to emerge, questions surrounding Biden’s final campaign and the decisions made by those closest to him remain a major topic of political debate.
